Living in the Skeleton of a Happy Memory

It's been forever/Best of 2009

2010-02-14T07:13:00.000-08:00

10. John Parish & PJ Harvey - A Woman A Man Walk By

09. Dead Man's Bones - Dead Man's Bones

08. The Protomen - ACT II: The Father of Death

07. Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough

06. Sunn O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions

05. Cold Cave - Love Comes Close

04. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

03. And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - The Century of Self

02. Crippled Black Phoenix - Night Raider/The Resurrectionist

01. Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem

it's been forever i guess with being on twitter soooo much i've kindve neglected this. i'll try and keep up with it more.

Kitchen Songs.

2009-06-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

I've given myself a deadline for "Leaving" to be finished. It might get me to actually finish it. I have on song left. There is something different about the way I've done this one. Usually there are no "demo" versions of songs, because I usually write/play and loop parts over a few weeks or months live then record the basic ideas that came from messing around, these become the scratch session or the base coat. Then I spend the next few weeks, months or even in some cases years going back to the sessions to layer or subtract.

So the last song on "Leaving" was written in a day or two while playing around with some loops I recorded a quick version with basic melody, some lyrics and some ideas for layers, I sat and listened to it for a week or so and decided I want to build it from the ground up again, so essentially it has become the first "demo".

I've also been spending quite a bit of time playing acoustic guitar in my kitchen. I like what I have been playing, it might be the wide open space and the tile floor that gives it a different vibe. I've also been writing in more "song" friendly structures. So these few jams might eventually make up the quiet 7" i've been planning for awhile. For the songs to actually have the feel it needs I'll probably do most of the tracking in my kitchen, with maybe some overdubs done in the dungeon. It'll be real basic, acoustic guitar, vocals, organ, maybe some percussion. I may even record it to my 4 track cassette recorder if I ever get a new adapter for it.

Slept Through the New Year.

2009-06-04T20:40:00.001-07:00

So I decided to add a version of "Slept Through The New Year" on Leaving, I wrote the song last november and even played it out in January. I've finally programmed drums for the song and plan on recording it this weekend. It's alittle different from the live version, but it should still be rad.

Pattern Against User.

2009-05-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

I feel like I need a hobby that doesn't revolve around spending money.

Playing music requires money because at any given time there is a pedal, amp, or other random toys that I would like to add to my set up. These things I want are not cheap.

I still fully believe in purchasing music, I'm a pack rat, I like having the liner notes, the full discography, something tangible. Therefore I spend a good amount of my time in used CD shops, You would think this would save me money, but I never pick up things off a specific list, I grab things I've heard of or have alittle bit of knowledge about. This leads to new discoveries then the endless research starts all over again, what releases are worth getting, what other bands sound like this that are worth getting.

Vinyl has become so much more expensive then it was when I first started getting vinyl when I was 16, mainly because everyone wants their releases on vinyl now so the whole supply and demand thing comes into play. It is true packaging has come along way, and it does take a small fortune for the labels to put these out, and I appreciate every bit of it. I just don't have the income to keep up with it. At times I feel like I should sell off my collection and keep only the real important things, but anything of value really worth selling off are the ones I want to keep. So what's the point of selling them off anyways.

If only I could have a job that the income was great enough to never have to worry if the bills are getting paid on time, and enough extra to easily decide on a saturday off from work that I should pick up that Electro Harmonix POG without buyers regret. Also enough time to fully enjoy all of these things would be nice to go along with that job as well.

better to die on our feet, than on our knees

2009-04-28T18:46:00.000-07:00

So I got a twitter. Oh well. It's good for all the quick rants that I try to do here but can never really bring full circle.

In the beginning of the month we were told that they would be merging three positions at work into one position and that we would find out which of the three of us got the job. Monday we found out my position was eliminated and I didnt get the combined spot. I didn't lose my job but I did take a $5 an hour pay cut. I'll be hurting come next March, when I no longer get the lump sum difference they are paying me.

I guess it's time I figure out what I really want to do with my life, again.

I finished rebuilding my stratocaster today. I need to get new machine heads though, and I still need to mess with the intonation alittle bit more.

The X-Men Animated Series Volume 1 & 2 came out on DVD! I'm very excited this was my absolute favorite cartoon growing up so far I'm about 4 episodes into the first disc!

My car went into the shop last night, it decided to die on me while half way to princeton, but luckily I have another 400 miles left on my warranty.

I haven't finished the fuzz pedal yet, I have a ground problem I think I just need a new piece of veroboard so I can start over. I was able to get the bypass right, but once the circuit is engaged there is no sound. Maybe this weekend I'll work on that a bit.

FUZZ

2009-04-15T19:55:00.000-07:00

So I just purchased a DIY Fuzz Guitar Pedal kit!!! I'm going to start building pedals!!! can't fucking wait! If this goes well I also want to build a feedback loop to add the fuzz and a delay into it. Way excited!

when i was younger.

2009-04-14T19:00:00.001-07:00

I should have been smarter about my purchases. I definitely should've invested into more amplifiers, because now that I am old and have real responsibilities like a mortgage, student loans, car payments, water bills etc it's hard to find like $200 to drop on a shitty amp.

The Way The Fog Moves.

2009-03-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Nicci made her first attempt at making vegan broccoli cheddar soup, so half way through making it she realized she didn't have enough soy milk. So I ran to Stop & Shop, the minute I got outside it just seemed "odd". The fog was think and you could almost see it moving in the street lights. There was also a little bit of heat lightning. I get to stop & shop run in, run out. As I'm walking out I can see where spots of rain start coming down across the parking lot, it was like the most epic build up ever, as i'm walking to the car the rain starts coming down harder and faster and over more area until it's a full on assault. I'm leaving the parking lot and massive hail starts smashing down and all the power from the stop and shop to the walgreens which is a good mile and half away went out. I knew something crazy.

I wish I knew more about photography that I can take pictures at night that would match what I'm seeing with my eyes. If that makes any sense.

Thank Whomever That I'm Lazy

2009-03-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Friday night while we were at the movies, my mom called and left a message saying that my sister was in Germany and that they would be picking her up around 4pm in Philadelphia the next day. I thought to myself "I have Saturday & Sunday off from work, Philly is only an hour and half away maybe I should surprise them." But when I woke up Saturday morning I really didn't feel like doing anything, Later on I called my mom and she told me that when my sister landed in Atlanta at 9am that the USO helped get her on an earlier flight so they ended up picking her up from Philly at 1 in the afternoon, which would've been the time I would've left to go to Philly. Yesterday had the potential to be a FMYLIFE moment. I could see it now "hey what gate is she coming out of?" followed by mom's response of "we got her three hours ago and we are home now"

This morning at 630am I got a call from a "private number" so I decided to pick it up. It was followed by a young female voice making a rooster sound followed by the word motherfucker! i kinda loled, it was a clever prank call. I kinda wish I knew who did it not because I'm mad but to tell them how clever it was.

Off This Century

2009-03-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

My dreams can be weird, they usually involve places from my past but I'm there at my current age and the other characters are usually people close to me in my present life.
They tend to flow through each other like a playlist, but the other night it all took place in one spot.

I was back working at the McDonald's I worked at when I was 16 years old. I remember how to assemble all the sandwiches, being that I had probably done them all a few hundred times over the 2 1/2 years I worked there. I kept burning shit in the fryers and I was not moving fast at all, which was something you needed to do. I was getting yelled at the whole time by all my former managers who still work there to this day.

It was just weird, I dunno.

I'm finally getting around to putting more of my CD collection on my computer, and Daubert came through and got me Andy's number so I can finally start getting more of my arm finished. I'm not going to call him up until after I get my tax return.

Take Your Time

2009-03-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

I was in a very weird mood today when I came home from work. Kinda bummed to the core and kind of energetic and motivated at the same time. So I decided to clean up the kitchen alittle bit and do some dishes. After that I thought I'm actually going to get some recording done and add the layers I have been hearing in my head for a few days now.

Up first I redid my vocal parts completely for the song "Oh Pennsylvania, Your Black Clouds Hang Low" and did much better this time I recorded a close mic on the squier amp I was screaming through and room mic that picked up my non-effected voice but also picked up the distortion in the distance from the amp. I decided to just go with the room mic track.

After that I have been thinking about adding more live percussion to the song "Memories You'll Never Feel Again" (which if you check the myspace page is the song "Their Frail Waltz") But I just wasn't getting the sound from the Toms that I wanted so I scratched that idea. I also unmuted the vocal track that is practically not even there, but I know it's there so that's what matters. I also added an additional synth line to the swell at the end that goes into the quiet part, I want to make an EQ adjustment right where it begins the quiet ending so it almost sounds like a mellotron. If I can I want to assemble a small choir for serious for the ending of the song to follow the guitar/rhodes/synth melody that is playing while it swells. I believe this is because I listened to "Dark Side of the Moon" like a million times last week.

The album is pretty much done when I finish that and do the "cassette" opening to the album and I'm being one hundred percent serious this time around, I haven't added or taken away any songs in the past few months I've been working with the same 7 songs I've just switched the sequence of the album up slightly.

The kid upstairs was playing his marching snare today I could hear it clear as day in the basement while recording. I came upstairs to get something it sounded like he had a bucket turned upside down for a tom and a kick pedal up against the well, I sure as hell hope he had a practice pad up or those walls are fucked.

I'm feeling more down now, all the energy and motivation are kind of gone. Just hanging out in the living room now listening to some jams until nicci gets home.

I need to put together a list of the new releases that came out this year that I have yet to pick up, I also need to start adding more CDs to my hard drive I'm getting bored of the music I have on here.

I find out on April 9th what is up with my job. That's all for now.

feelin' old.

2009-02-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

So I'm listening to Fiona Apple's "When the Pawn..." album right now, and I decided to go look up the release date thinking I could put it in my favorite albums of the last ten years being 2000 - 2010. Well I can't!!! It came out November 9th 1999. I can still remember sitting on front porch on what seemed like a warm October or November night with my hippie next door neighbor Alicia forcing me to give it a listen, and after a week or two of my down right denying any thought of even listening to it, I agreed, and from that day on it has been one of my favorite albums of all time, it is definitely a desert island jam!

It's just weird to think that some of my favorite albums are just about a decade old, or only a short distance away from being a two decades old. I'm not talking about older bands I got into in the recent years that have had albums out for decades before I've gotten into them, but straight up albums I bought on the day they came out, and spent many nights and days laying in bed reading the booklets front to back as it played across the room on my little boom box.

But music is great like that it can bring you back to any moment in your life where it played a significant role. It's probably why I love it so much and why myself and my best friend connect so much over music.

What are some of your favorite albums and what your fondest memories of them?

I'll post more of mine soon.

PS: This album needs a deluxe version! but that's a whole other topic in itself.

Twenty Years of Sleep Before We Sleep Forever

2009-02-09T19:22:00.000-08:00

I'm just feeling restless. I'm behind bored on my days off, but I can't work up the energy to clean or anything that I should be doing.

I think I should take some guitar lessons, I've been playing for almost 13 years now and I've plateaued over the last few years. It may be from the fact that I don't have any friends here in Jersey that play guitar and would keep my playing in check.

Listened to Luke's new band "Minutes" they are really fucking good, I'm probably bummed out that I don't have anyone hear to help me get a real band off the ground. Oh well.

Time, Gentlemen, Time.

2009-02-04T19:40:00.000-08:00

Hours have been a little slow at work for the last month, so I've been taking 3 days off a week. It's nice but I get really bored some days.

Today I tried working on some songs for the next EP which will also serve as songs I can play in quieter situations. But my 4 track is being weird right now, every time I hit play or record or pretty much anything to do with the tape deck it has a loud hum. I'm not sure if it's because of the new power adapter I got the other day or if I need to get a head cleaner for it. I'll have to check ebay for a 3 Head tape cleaner.

So needless to say I never recorded anything, and I really didn't feel like bringing the laptop down and setting up a Pro Tools session just for me to fuck around with.

While I was in the basement I realized I haven't put away any of the CDs I've bought between early November and most recently last Saturday. They've been piling up in the basement, my bedroom, and the living room. After spending two hours moving everything around it seems that I either need a third book shelf or I have to move the shelves around so that I can fit the one row I took off of each to make it what it is now.

The only draw back to doing that, is some of the CDs I have that come in abnormal sized Digipacks or boxs won't fit so I would have to set them on top or something.

current shelves:

Speaking of buying CDs last Saturday. Thurston Moore was checking out vinyl and used DVDs at Princeton Record Exchange while Britten and I were there. Pretty rad.

WITTR 12" came the other day, still wish I didn't impulse buy it online. I also got Low's "Secret Name", "Things We Lost In The Fire", "Songs For A Dead Pilot" "In The Fish Tank Series" & "The Great Destroyer" on vinyl. Again these were impulse buys once I found out Kranky had repressed them. The only one in print that have yet to get is "Trust" which maybe I'll get when I get paid again on Friday.

the hum above my bed.

2009-01-30T16:13:00.000-08:00

So I woke and heard "Heartless" by Kanye West playing pretty clearly, I thought to myself "oh, i must've put my laptop on when nicci left for work this morning, and this album came on." Look to my right and my laptop is closed and on the floor. I realized it was blaring so loud from the room above ours that I thought I had been playing it.

Fuck man.

To escape all the noise, I decided to go to vintage vinyl. I picked up "Waiting" by Thursday on vinyl, it's on clear 180gram I was hoping it was going to be on white, Maybe I'll have to order it through Eyeball. I also picked up the "Cold River Songs" reissue by Bodychoke, I'm throughly enjoying this right now. I also picked up John Zorn's "Naked City" and Naked City's "Heretic" CDs used.

They had the new WITTR 12" EP there already and I still haven't gotten the one I ordered in the mail. I should just wait and buy all my Southern Lord stuff there from now on, I'll get it earlier and won't have to pay the $9 shipping per item.

Transmission.

2009-01-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

So we have new neighbors moving upstairs, It's going to be horrible. They consistently park in the middle of the driveway, they aren't even supposed to be in the driveway. Tonight they moved alot of big stuff in and asked if they could get in the garage but part of the agreement is that they don't have access to the garage, so they left a washer and refrigerator on the porch and LEFT for the night!!! They were there for 2 days, now they've moved them from the porch to practically the front yard. They are fat and the ceiling shakes when they walk up and down the hall. Two Nights in a row they began moving stuff into the house at 1230am! Also at night now the room above ours has a dehumidifier or something on and there is a low annoying hum we only hear in our room. Also today when watching TV, they were watching TV soo loud we could hear perfect dialog over our movie. Fuck this.

Today felt like a productive day off ontop of all the things that I've mentioned above. I opened up Pro Tools for the first time since November 8th 2008. I worked on 3 new mixes for some the songs for the album. I thought I was finished with it, but I need to fix a few things, sorry Britten.

the show the other night.

2009-01-12T11:27:00.000-08:00

Went okay, again like I said earlier i played with a bunch of bands that sound nothing like me for a bunch of people who never really heard anything like me.

Screwed up the loop for a second but no one noticed and the transition didn't go as I planned cuz the second loop was screwed up, but whatever. On to the next show.

I found I can load and unload my gear pretty fast, but my HHR can barely fit all of my gear, so I don't know how much more I can really add to my set up without needing assistance from friends to get my gear to and from shows.

I took the padding off the inside of my snare that I've been using to flatten the sound. It's going to take a lot to get used to the sound. Next I need to take more half the padding out of the kick drum to make it sound fuller.

My 2008 Top Ten

2009-01-01T17:36:00.000-08:00

No explanations if you want to know why just ask me.

10. Pygmy Lush - Mount Hope

09. M83 - Saturdays=Youth

08. Earth - The Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull

07. Thou - Peasant

06. Helms Alee - Night Terror

05. Portishead - Third

04. Deerhunter - Microcastle/Wierd Era Cont.

03. Krallice - Krallice

02. Boris - Smile

01. Torche - Meanderthal

Highway of Endless Dreams

2008-12-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

I'm going through and listening to the albums that came out in 2008 that I just couldn't put down, and trying to figure out how I would rate them for end of year list. It's going pretty good I have 19 albums on here I'm going to do a top ten and top 5 honorable mentions so it's more like a top 15 really.

Anyways it's supposed to snow tonight maybe I dunno. I hope it doesn't I have work in the AM and last time it snowed bad I fucked up the alignment on my car by smashing into a curb, wasn't fun.

I had a dream the other night I moved back to West Pittston. If I wasn't with Nicci I would probably try to live there now. Pennsylvania is so much cheaper. I'd like to live in one of the giant old houses on Luzerne Ave or Philadelphia Ave, or down by the elementree school.

sleeping forever.

2008-12-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

So I came home after work with all intentions of getting my hard drive then going over brittens, Well I got home around 415pm or so next thing I know it's 11:00pm. I stayed up for like 2 more hours then it was 11:00am. I feel great.

worst luck ever.

2008-12-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

Holy shit! Out of nowhere today I get an error message that says disk removal, and I think to myself that's odd my hard drive is still plugged in. So turns out I needed to reformat my drive and it erased everything on it! so all that work i put in from A to Cave is all gone.

I don't know why I didnt think of this sooner but I'm taking my external hard drive over to Britten's with a print out of my record nerd list and just dragging and dropping files of albums he has that I also have. Everything else I'll upload from home. This is going to save so much more time, I'm such an idiot.

Dark Knight comes out at Midnight!!!!!!!

the wind

2008-12-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

It's very windy today. When the wind blows between the houses it sounds like there is a jack hammer right outside my bedroom window.

Last night we got our first snow fall that amounted to something. It wasn't much only enough to cover the grass. The sun came out and melted it all so it is gone.

HOLY GRAIL OF YOUTH!

2008-12-04T19:12:00.000-08:00

I saw my parents tonight, and my mother had this box!!!!

It might not mean much to anyone, but contained in this box is anywhere from 75 to 100 cassette tapes that feature tape recorder and 4 track recordings that I did between the ages of 12 and 18! Yeah it doesn't look like that many but it is deep and long, much like your anal cavity.

I'm so excited to dust off the 4 track and run all of these into pro tools, no matter how bad some of these are I will mix down everything!

fall is almost over so i'll catch no one up to speed.

2008-12-03T18:09:00.000-08:00

I read back on the last few posts I made over two months ago, and my lazy ass hasn't gotten much further on the whole uploading my entire CD collection thing. I finished uploading all of B a few days ago and started on maybe two tops of my C collection, now today I resume, because honestly I'm sick of listening to what I have from A to B.

According to my iTunes A - B contains 336 Albums and takes up 13.95G of memory on my hard drive.

Some other stuff happened besides uploading CDs. Nicci and I drove to Orlando for Halloween, the gases prices started going down extremely low a week or two before we left which made it alittle easier on my wallet. The cheapest we saw it while driving was $2.05 near Savannah. It was a pretty relaxing vacation we did a park or two, and seriously spent alot of time chilling at Nicky's on her coach watching TV.

Although I've been pretty much stressing about the election for the last year and a half, I spent most of October going insane, while in Florida there were was McCain/Palin everywhere I looked. I hadn't really been out of the area much so I couldn't really gauge how the rest of the country was feeling and when I saw all that in Florida I became extremely worried to the point I was giving myself panic attacks all the way up to the night of the election. (wow what a run-on sentence.)

So I'm pretty excited about Obama I hope he can pull off some of the things he has promised to change. It's funny because I totally called the fact that he was going to offer Hilliary the Secretary of State position. I bet that was the plan all along.

Saw Boris again in November, and I'm definitely missing them tonight because I am extremely broke. I swore I would do my christmas shopping early this year but I've been scrambling to get it done over the last few weeks. With the economy sucking so bad I haven't worked any overtime this year, like I had the last 3 years. So I've put up some gear that has been kinda wasting space up on ebay, once it sells I can catch up on some bills.

That is all for now I'm putting together my end of the year favorite albums list. So look for that soon.

days of hell.

2008-10-06T17:45:00.000-07:00

So seriously this fucking sucks!!! I didn't get nearly as far as I was hoping to get on music last night. I have about 66 CDs in so far. This is going to take me forever!!!! The first time I started putting everything on my hard drive I probably had like 200 CDs tops, I also had a part time job where I only worked like 20hrs a week so I had plenty of time to do it.

But since then my CD collection has grown insanely in size. I also have a full time job that I work 40hrs a week. Man!

I did get those 16 CDs up this afternoon that I was supposed to do today. Right now Animal Collective's Strawberry Jam is finishing uploading then I'm onto Animosity's Empires.

I did play with some of my new pedals that came in the mail on thursday! The Boss RV5 is sooooooo much better then the Digitech Digiverb. I shouldn't have been such a cheap bastard and just spent the extra $30 to get it in the first place. Don't get me wrong I still like the Digiverb but the RV5 blows it out of the water. The MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay is awesome it's going to come in handy to make some drones and I love the fact that their is no tail when you shut it off so the sound just stops.

Fat Cat is still with us I'm not sure when the vet is happening.

New Drone Phase

2008-10-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I picked up a new hard drive. It's only 250G compared to the 320G I had before, but it'd a Western Digital passport so it's small and compact and I don't need to plug it into the wall which means I can take it anywhere!

So in the past two days I've uploaded roughly 50 albums and I'm thinking I'll get about 13 more done tonight before I decide to pack it in. Which means I'll have up to Am finished with alittle bit of An started.

Sold a shitload of stuff on eBay so tomorrow I'll be spending a bit of time at the post office after work.

Other shitty news, I'll probably be taking Fat Cat tomorrow to the vet to be put to sleep. I'm not sure of that yet It may happen on Tuesday before work. I'm thinking Nicci's mom may want to see her before I have to take her.

drone destroyed.

2008-10-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I finally went to Pennsylvania to get my new drivers license. I've only been driving around with an expired one for a month. Anyways upon coming home I'm laying in the bed and it just smells like cat piss. Turns out I think the one cat is dying and just losing functions. So I take the sheets off and febreeze the shit out of the mattress and decided to flip it. As I'm flipping it came down on my external hard drive on the side of the bed and it started making crazy ass noises. So it died on me, the hard drive that is. I don't understand Nicci has pushed me off the bed in the past and i've landed my fat ass right on it and it never did anything, it got buried by garbage and got stepped on by animals and nothing but a mattress destroys it!!!!

So all my music on it is gone. Good thing I'm an avid collector and have my whole collection on a shelf in the basement. It's just going to be a bitch putting it on my new one because this is 5 years plus of intense music buying that needs to go on here. Around 90GB or more

The only advantage is I'll be able to take time and look through booklets and stuff I haven't looked through in a long time and listen to stuff I haven't listened to in years even though they've been on my computer the whole time.

Dallas, TX

2008-09-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

So I've been home for a few days after being in Dallas, TX for 4 days. Let me tell you Dallas fucking sucks! I was in meetings most of the time, but we had a bunch of free time to go about town, etc. Well there isn't much of a town to venture too. It seemed that everything there was closed by 5pm everyday. Everything else was either a hotel or a business building.

I went and saw the X on the road where JFK was shot. That was pretty much the highlight of the city.

its been nearly two months...

2008-09-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Since I've written anything in here. So let's see some random things that have happened....

I'm not longer in my temporary management position at the store, and my bank account has been suffering since. This has only been for maybe the last month or so not the whole two months. Alot of this could be because of my addiction to PREX as of late.

Thought I was FINALLY finished with the album, but after listening to it for a week or two in my car very closely each day I drove to work, I really feel that it needs some tinkering and fine tuning, with the sequencing and the songs that were on it in general.

I lodged a penny in my steering wheel column, like I did with guitar picks in my last car. The only difference is that my last car didn't have an airbag, my new one does. So the going joke right now is that I'm going to get into a 5mph fender bender freak accident that is going to set off the airbag sending the penny to impale my skull which will be the death of me. Kind of a morbid joke I know lol. Best part about this is like a week or two after this happened it happened! I got into a 5 mph but it didn't set the airbag off thank god!! Just left a little frown looking cut into my front bumper.

I tend to think of alot of things I want to write on here during the day, but when I get home and can have time to do that I've either forgot or I'm just too lazy. I think I'm going to start carrying a notepad around with me so I can scribble some stuff down.

Still no pictures from the Boris shows because I have lost my camera in the mess of the house somewhere. When I find it i'll upload them.

Next week I'll be in Dallas TX from Monday until Friday. I come home for two weeks, then I go to Orlando FL for an extended weekend for Sean's wedding (which I'll be going to alone since it seems everyone else is bailing because of money issues.) Then two weeks after that I go to Orlando FL for a week with Nicci for Halloween!

I'll keep all none of you posted!

Updated 2007 Best of List

2008-07-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

Well more than half of 2008 is over so I decided to take a little bit of time and take a look at my top albums of 2007. So 7 months later this is what it would look like.

10. The Locust - New Erections (ANTI-)
Last Position on List: n/a

So I have no idea how I didn't even list this as an honorable mention! I think it just left my mind or who knows! This is one of thee best Locust albums, on "Plague Soundscapes" they started slowing the songs down, but this is where they perfected it. I remember getting it and sitting in the parking lot to the mall because it was a massive blizzard outside and I waited for Nicci to get off work so I could drive her home, From the first track I knew this would be different. Sludgy as fuck. Long Songs. Great Record.

09. The Austerity Program - Black Madonna (Hydra Head)
Last Position on List: #7

So there's no real reason that this album has slipped on my list other than the ones above it I listened to alot more. But this is still an awesome, heavy and challenging album. These two are dedicated from the time they spent building the studio they recorded the album in to the time they spent programming the insane drums on this album.

08. Low - Drums & Guns (Sub Pop)
Last Position on List: #1

Still another amazing album, although I just feel as the year went on their were other albums on my list that took a more definitive grasp. This is them still challenging themselves to try and break away from the typical Low, much like "The Great Destroyer" did.

07. Nicole Atkins - Neptune City (Red Ink)
Last Position on List: n/a

I debated for awhile wether or not I was going to include this album the first time around seeing that it came out 10/30/2007 and I really didn't even pick it up until maybe the end of November sometime so I didn't have that much time with it. I remember being at work when this album came in, just looked some singer/songwriter girls album that'll disappear in a few months and no one will ever speak her name again, Britten brought it to my attention and I decided to buy it on a whim and because it was so cheap with my employee discount. HOLY SHIT! was this album amazing. Reminded me heavily of Phil Spector albums of the 60s. The vocal melodies are soothing and the songs are just down right epic at times. I spent a solid two weeks in January where this CD did not leave the CD player in my car.

06. Liars - Liars (Mute)
Last Position on List: n/a

Man this album blew my mind when I heard it, at the time of the last list I thought long and hard about it but for some reason that I can't even remember I excluded it. The production and the songs are just way out there. Best opening track ever. If I'm driving and listening to this album most of the time is spent thumping along on my steering wheel.

05. Ulver - Shadows of the Sun (The End)
Last Position on the List: n/a

I think why this album didn't make it was I really just wasn't all that into it when it first came out. I mean I thought it was alright but nothing seriously amazing. That really changed over time, this album has one of thee best flows ever and the vocal melodies too just make me want to float away. Way better than their black metal stuff.

04. Crippled Black Phoenix - A Love of Shared Disasters (Invada)
Last Position on List: #5

Still the same description as before I still feel like I've been listening to this album for the last ten years.

03. Pygmy Lush - Bitter End (Robotic Empire)
Last Position on List: #6

This album is so calming, and really makes me want to make music of my own.

02. Ghastly City Sleep - Ghastly City Sleep (Robotic Empire)
Last Position on List: #9

I don't think I've wanted to listen to a new album as much as I want to listen to this one ALL the time. I want to listen to while I'm sleeping, while I'm driving, and everything else in between then when the 4 tracks end I want to play them over again.

01. Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters (Southern Lord)
Last Position on List: #4

Same as the Ghastly City Sleep, I just want more music from this band! The 2xLP version is on its way to my house with an all new track plus and extended ambient intro to The Cleansing. I'm so excited. I was really bummed out that they dropped off the Boris/Torche tour.

stuff that was taken off the list.

Jesu - Conqueror. I listened to it twice the week I was making my list and really thought It should be on there, but let's be honest it's not nearly as good as s/t or the silver ep.

Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb. still an honorable mention just like mention above just other albums just started to mean more to me. Plus i'm feeling that Pig Destroyer could be a crossover band for nu metal mall metal assholes. Granted its still their best release yet.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible. I haven't listened to this album nearly enough for it to be worth the number 3 spot. It still is good and it definitely grew on me over time, I just don't know if it stuck with me, The best song on the album is a remake of a song from their first ep. so whatever.

Oxbow - The Narcotic Story. read the phantom limb description. it explains alot.

the kids are on fire, in the basement.

2008-07-15T00:07:00.000-07:00

so it's been nearly a solid month since i've last blogged. i think sometimes about things i want to write about but i never actually do it. this is also happening alot with the writing process for the cd. i've been playing guitar and drums alot and have things written i just never get around to setting up the mics and recording them.

ive been on vaction for the last few days, I spent wednesday night in philly, thursday night in NYC and friday i drove to boston. All three nights i saw Boris/Torche & Clouds, it was awesome. I should have pics up soon. I didn't bring my camera in the third night, the show was too good anyways too busy rocking out to take pictures.

i waited to get some merch until friday night and they were sold out of everything i wanted, and that shit is completely sold out. fuck.

Ever since coming home ive been feeling really restless sitting around. I just need to do something, but it always comes down to me not doing anything about it.

I really don't feel like going back to work on wednesday.

'cuz i'm bored.

2008-06-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

so I thought the album was in its final days, about to be sent off to the pressing plant, but it's not. I was listening to the last few songs I recorded and I'm just not feeling them. I'm kinda bored with some of the music I've recorded lately. I dunno. I've worked on it for this long already so alittle more time won't hurt anything I suppose.

this heat.

2008-06-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

Today the heat finally broke!! It was 86 today at the hottest and this evening the humidity finally went down as well. What a relief!

Nicci and I went and played mini golf today it was fun, she beat me 53 to 74. I'm fucking horrible at the game. Hit up Guitar Center after that I played the microkorg I got some awesome sounds out of it, but I don't think I'd want to spend $400 on it, the keys feel too much like a toy keyboard to be spending all that money on it. I loved the vocoder on it as well.

Other than that went a got nicci a new laptop. Then we ate dinner with britten and spent 4 hours at ruby tuesdays cooking.

Closer.

2008-06-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

Holy shit it's been hot outside the last three or so days! Saturday Nicci and I drove to Philly for the Kurt Halsey opening at the Art Star. It was a good time, Nicci bought an orginial and a print, and I also bought her a print. We have to go back the 2nd or 3rd week of July to pick up the painting. We ate a a place called Soy Cafe across the street and had "chicken" wraps. It seems any time we are out of town we always eat vegetarian or vegan food and LOVE IT. we should get a cook book or something and start eating home more.

PFB Update:
I have a few more songs recorded but I think they threw the whole feel of the album I was going for off. So just as I thought I was coming close to finishing the damn thing I continue working on it more and more and more. It'll more then likely NEVER! come out.

princeton record exchange

2008-05-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

so i finally made it to the princeton record exchange after living in jeresy for over 3 years now. I picked up quite a bit of CDs, nineteen to be exact. Though this blog is not about the record buying experience, but about the walk back to the car.

Some crazy event was going on in town at the college so there were massive groups of people walking around all we were wearing the colours black and orange. I'm assuming these are the colours of the school or something. Anyways I see some guy trying to hand out pamphlets on to the groups of people walking by, near him I see a little home painted billboard that reads: "Are You Going to Heaven? I Have the ticket!" So as he walks up to Britten and I he says something, I only half listened to him, and I say no thanks. I'm no more than 5 feet pass this guy when being the smart ass I am I say: "I know I'm going to hell and I'm totally cool with it." To my surprise he heard me, he starts saying something, and totally abandons his post and starts following us saying HE HAS THE INVOTATION AND I CAN BE SAVED, BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. Its starting to creep me out so I ended up walking faster and totally walked into the street and crossed over during a red light without even looking because I really didnt want to be stuck on a corner waiting with this guy.

boring story. i know.

Wasted Day.

2008-05-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

So I had all intentions of coming home and recording some music today, didnt happen. I looked at the bed and that was it next thing I knew it was 9PM. I did however stop a Vintage Vinyl after work and picked up "Isn't Anything" & "Loveless" by My Bloody Valentine on vinyl! Way pumped about it. I also got a couple used things as well. yeah this is a wasted post as well. fuck it.

the problem with music buying public.

2008-05-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I get bored and decide to run over to the Holmdel store, and look around their CD section to see what they have that my store doesn't. Upon getting there I see a kid that only works there over the summer that I haven't seen since I left their last year and start talking to him. Out of nowhere some guy walks over with a CD and asks Steve "What does "unplugged" mean?" I kind look at the guy like he can't be serious. So Steve explains it and you can tell the guy just doesn't get it. Fast forward 5 minutes, The guy comes back up to Steve who is talking to me as I look at CDs and comes up with the Alicia Key's album "Songs in A Minor" and askes him "What does "Songs in A Minor mean?" I almost lose it I stare the guy in the face and give him a look like he is thee most retarded human being ever. He had no idea that it was the title of the album. This is what fucking mp3's and itunes has done! People need to get back to buying albums.

love at first bite.

2008-05-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

so if i lived in west new york state, say around the Buffalo area, I'm pretty sure Mighty Taco would own my life.

oh and i haven't bought anything off ebay in a solid month!!! way to start getting my money situation back on track.

Earth/Kayo Dot

2008-05-07T23:38:00.000-07:00

OH!!!!! and last night Britten and I saw Earth & Kayo Dot at the Knitting Factory in NYC.

Kayo Dot was amazing! I don't even care that the metal is gone from their sound now, to watch accomplished musicians actually read music on stage in this kind of setting is almost unheard of. Also holy fucking solid drummer.

Earth holy shit so gooooood. Gave me alot of confidence that I can make it with the music that I'm writing. Everything they did was simple and repeative but they all locked in the groove and just played it to the fucking bone.

Cold Turkey.

2008-05-07T23:34:00.000-07:00

So I've been off ebay for about 3 1/2 weeks now! I got my final vinyl purchase today in the mail. I realized I was spending WAY too much money so I just deleted EVERYTHING off of my watch list. Its been rough but I'm kinda glad, I need to start saving up money again, damn.

But.

I did pick up Godspeed You Black Emperor's "Lift Your Skinny Fists...." 2x12" from Jack's today. Its a hard find so i just had to do it, they have two other GYBE vinyls there too, hopefully they'll be there next friday when I get paid again.

Vs.

2008-05-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

So Wednesday night into Thursday morning I just couldn't sleep. Most nights this is my time to watch "TV", and when I say TV I really mean I'm seeing what movies are on demand to watch. So that night I watched The Boxer & Last of the High Kings both very good movies. I go to sleep at around 6am, I wake up a few hours later and think to myself "Were both of those movie about Catholics hating Protesants in Ireland? Yeah they were kinda, it played a back drop to the overall story of both, but it was just wierd that I watch two movies in a row with a similiar theme.

what i listened to in 2004.

2008-04-29T23:07:00.000-07:00

I've been finding lately that the music I was listening to, or making in 2004 can either lift me up and make me so happy or compeletly destroy me for days. It was probably the best year of my life, Honestly. It was when I was at my happiest and probably at my most despressed. It was the first time I got to be on my own completely. January 1st I got in my shitty 1983 Chevy Caprice with just a few mix cds with my dad following behind me in the UHaul that was packed with all of my belongings, and we headed south to Orlando.

I met some people during this year that even though I don't really talk to much, still mean more to me than people I've known my whole life. They became second family. I was free. I finally escaped the hollowed out remains of the once booming coal mining area, that I had dreamed about for so long. I spent many night in my apartment with my disc changer on repeat and just read books or chatted online, but some of these albums bring back some of the best members in no particular order here are a few.

Sigur Ros - ( )
Mum - Summer Make Good
Godspeed You Black Emperor - Yanqui U.X.O.
Mogwai - Happy Songs for Happy People
Cursive - The Ugly Organ
Explosions in the Sky - Those Who Tell the Truth
Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlantism
The Appleseed Cast - Two Conversations
A Silver Mt. Zion - Rusted Satelittles
In Memory of Winter - When All Else Fails Cut Your Loses & Knot the Rope
Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes
Arcade Fire - Funeral
The Microphones - The Glow pt. 2
PG.99 - Documents #7 & #8
Circle Takes the Sqaure - As The Roots Undo
A Day in Black and White - My Heros Have Always Killed Cowboys
DJ Shadow - Entroducing

Okay so that was a bit more than a few, and sure you may be saying to yourself thats a shitload of post rock. My music collection was ALOT and i mean ALOT! smaller than it is now, and it post rock didnt even really make its peak until 2007ish before it started dying. These are all still pretty landmark albums to me.

Like most of my posts this had an ending a clear destination but I get side tracked to fast and I lose it.

I'm just in a mood and Sigur Ros' ( ) is currently destroying me.

feedbacker

2008-04-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Blogspot,

Not a whole lot has really gone on in my life in the last few weeks, I've spent WAAAAAAAAAAYY too much money on vinyl lately, but I got some awesome shit I'll post a list later, still waiting on a bunch of it to come in the mail. Got my tickets for Earth/Kayo Dot show on May 6th in NY, britten and I are going it should be awesome.

Went to Pennsylvania on monday night, saw YGGR/Monotonix/An Albatross at the Metro, it was pretty rad I guess, then I woke up and hit up the used CD sections of the valley's Gallery of Sounds. Found a bunch of rad shit, plus in the vinyl section found a Khanate - Thing Viral still sealed thats probably been sitting in the store since 2003. The real reason for the PA trip besides seeing the family, was VOTING!!! Went out to support the Obama didnt win, but still got some delegates woooo for that. Drove past the Hiliary office and yelled OBAMA! at all the old ladies holding signs that read: HONK FOR HILIRAY. Tried to get a shirt from the Obama office but they didnt have any so I grabbed a bunch of stickers.

Today Boris announced their North American Summer tour so I took my vaction around the time they will be on the east coast. If you want to chill I'll be at these shows.
07/08 - Black Cat, Washington DC
07/09 - First Unitarian, Philadelpha PA
07/10 - Webster Hall, New York NY
07/11 - Middle East, Cambridge MA

i'm thinking i may have some free demos with me on the trip that'll have a song or two from the full lenght, noise piece, an alternate version and maybe even a cover. if i have any left over I'll probably sell them for like $2PPD off my myspace.

recent albums i can't seem to put down, Torche Meandrathal, The Microphones The Glow pt2 - reissue

thanks to the none of you, that is all

I DON'T FUCKING WORK HERE!

2008-04-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

Hey just because I have a bunch of cds in my hands doesnt mean I work at Vintage Vinyl, and just because I can flip through the used cd section fast doesnt mean I work at Jacks, I wear ripped up jeans and band tshirts that show off my sleeve dont fucking ask me if you can plug that guitar in "man". It never fails whenever I'm somewhere other than my own place of employement someone askes for my assitance, Do I really look the like the type of dude to ask questions!?!?! I'm baffled. Hell its even happened to me at KFC while trying to enjoy a mashed potato bowl on one of my breaks!!!

Money Money Money, MONEY!

2008-04-08T20:39:00.000-07:00

So I need a way to come with $2000 REALLY FAST!!!! that doesn't involve me selling any of my rare vinyl or cds, or selling any of my guitars/effects/amps. If you have any ideas let me know, this dude wants an Orange stack!

!!!$$##@@@#@^#@%$

2008-03-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

I FUCKING HATE!!!!!! THE TYRA BANKS SHOW!!!!!! There is just something about this bitch!!!! How the fuck does she even get her own show?!?!! and how has it been on tv this long!!?!?!?!?!!!!?!???!!!?

2008 Goals Update!

2008-03-20T00:36:00.000-07:00

It's been just alittle over 2 months since I wrote my "Goals of 2008" so I think I'll give an update.

01. See my Pennsylvania Family more.
I guess this has happened, I was only in PA once since than but I only saw my sister Cyndi. I did however see my parents on a view occassions when they came out here, although they were on bad terms. I'd say this is been a failure so far.

02. Get tattooed.
Check!!, but sssshhhhh!

03. Finish writing Planning for Burial album.
Nowhere near complete, but I'm making more progress. Still failing this goal as well.

04. Start a real band.
Kinda started all the people are in the right places, schedules are alittle shitty right now, it'll get there.

05. Play solo show.
Fail! I have some plans on how I can do this, but there will be much practice needed before it can happen.

06. Rebuild the stratocaster.
Got some new pick ups. Waiting on warmer weather so I can finish sanding outside, than begin painting.

07. Go to Princeton Music Exchange.
HUGE FAILURE!!! Thanks to Ebay!!!!

08. Don't go to the beach.
Can't be measured at this time still too cold for anyone to really think about it.

09. Ride more rollercoasters.
again, still too cold for anyone to really think about it.

10. Save Money.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Failure.

11. Get in shape.
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FAILURE. I was on good track but right around when Poppa Oh passed away I gave up. I really need to get on this.

12. Listen to CDs I've purchased in the last few years.
yeah this is going pretty good. I'm kinda bored with music other than the music I own.

13. Nicci Less Antisocial.
not happening right now.

14. Be more sweet.
I have my days.

Yeah it's pretty safe to say I'm failing pretty hard.

Protection.

2008-03-19T19:17:00.000-07:00

So I'm strolling through the grocery store last night, I come across the "pharmacy" type aisle to find condoms on the top shelf in LOCK UP cases. The same type we use at work to lock up high price items like digital cameras, video games hardware, higher priced software, etc!!!!! since when do condoms need to be in lock up cases?!?!?! So now if you're a young guy or girl and still alittle wierded out with purchasing them in public (which you need to get over and just do it!) you can't just go to nice convienent self check out lanes, and get the fuck out of there without anyone knowing your business. You have to go to a register see one cashier who will probably send you over to the customer service desk to use a magnet to unlock it, what a fucking hassle!!!! kids arent going to want to do that especially if its a small town and word gets around fast! fuck man!

While my guitar gently weeps.

2008-03-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

So before I left for work today I recieved to albums in the mail, 1. Sunn O))) "Oracle" LP (it was supposed to be the CD but tower records listed it incorrectly on their website!!!!) I wouldve sent it back normally but the packaging is so sick on it! 2. Damon & Namoi "The Earth is Blue" which features the electric guitar stylings of Micho Kurihara. So seeing that this came in the CD format I had ordered it on, I decided to bring it with me for my 20 minute ride to work. As I'm driving I think to myself "If anyone's guitar really "Gently Weeps" it's definitely Kurihara's" so a few minutes go by and no word of lie a cover of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" came on!!!! It fucking blew my mind!!!!!

I'm hoping my Inoxia records version of Boris' "Smile" comes tomorrow or wednesday so I can fully listen to it without distraction!!!

Little Big Muff

2008-03-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

Sounds soooo good, exactly the "fuzz" I was looking for! I remember when I was 12 borrowing an original big muff from my friend who took it from his father and it being so awesome. I don't know what took me so long to buy one, but I'm really gladI did. Just as good as the regular big muff just smaller!

Day Light Savings

2008-03-10T01:38:00.000-07:00

Can suck my fucking dick! i can't sleep at night properly. my sleep schedule is all kinds of messed up. i come home from work in the afternoon sleep all evening than i'm awake until 5 or 6 in the morning.

Punk Rock Choir

2008-02-22T20:51:00.000-08:00

I've always loved the sound of many voices singing in unison, almost like a chant. I try to recreate it by multilayering my own voice in different keys than drenched with reverb behind the main vocal, but I wish I had the knowledge to actually conduct a small little choir to be able to sing behind some of my songs to make them fuller.

just a thought.

120 Minutes.

2008-02-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

So a week or so ago while browsing the tv guide I noticed vh1 was showing 120 minutes (an awesome video show from mtv way back in the day when they played videos for those who dont know) very late one sunday night. I wasn't able to watch it because nicci doesnt have the tolerance of watching music videos that i do. So anyways I thought to myself HOLY SHIT we pay for the DVR shit for a reason. I set it up to record every episode that comes on, to my suprise monday afternoon TWO episodes had been recorded. In the middle of watching it came to my attention that there is no Matt Pinfield, than at the end of the second episode they played a Hall and Oates song, so now I believe that these are just some "alternative" videos VH1 has laying around that they are showing under the 120minutes name.

ill still watch. they did play some joy division, echo and the bunnymen, sisters of mercy, jesus and mary chain, the church, love and rockets, and shit load of other awesome stuff. a few not so awesome things. whatever as always everything i start writing loses its meaning at the end,

in other awesome news I BOUGHT TICKETS TO SEE BORIS!!!!! on march 4th in NYC!!!!
!

R.I.P. 1/18/60 - 1/19/08

2008-01-20T21:39:00.000-08:00

When you step up to the gates of heaven or wherever it is you believe, you need to only ask yourself one question "Did I enjoy the ride?"

I love you big guy! I'll miss you soooooooo much!

Goals for 2008

2008-01-11T21:28:00.000-08:00

or just somethings that if I happen to do it'll be pretty rad.

01. See my family in Pennsylvania more, proving they don't shune me for getting my WHOLE arm done (see below.). I believe this will help me not feel so detached from everything when the holidays come next year.
02. Get tattooed. The timing just wasn't right last year, with special business trips, the holidays and all.
03. Finish writing the Planning for Burial album I started during the last week of December 2006. Kinda sucks that I've only opened Pro Tools once since moving into the new house and that was way back in September, but I did get a working 4 track and I've been playing with demo ideas with it.
04. Start a REAL band, play shows, record a cd, tour Japan!
05. Play a solo show or two of improv drone/noise as Planning for Burial
06. Rebuild the stratocaster, that has been sitting in corners around the country since I broke it when I was 17yrs old. Yes I started the project in 2007 BUT it will be completed in 2008!
07. Go to the Princeton Music Exchange. I've lived in NJ for almost 3 years and every year I've talked about going but I have yet to go.
08. Don't go the beach! That's fucking right I'm not from NJ I'm an import, I hate the sun I hate sand I hate the shitty green water and all that swims in it.
09. Ride more rollercoasters. I haven't been on one since summer of 2006 thats way too long ago.
10. Save some money, don't just waste whatever is left after paying bills on fast food and shit. CDs are okay!
11. Get in shape. This really should be near the top but its not in any real order. I've cut out soda unless I'm out to eat, which is a rarity anymore. No fast food, No red meat or pork. oh and bring the total gym over.
12. Listen to cds I've bought in the last 3 years but only gave a spin or two.
13. Get Nicci to not be so antisocial. Life is short lets have fun.
14. Take Nicci to the movies more. Be sweet in general.

there will be more. there will be blood.

Top 10 of 2007

2008-01-04T21:51:00.001-08:00

There were many great albums this year, here are 10 that got alot of plays in the car and so on, and some reasons why i loved them. *this seems to be the year of Hydra Head & Robotic Empire

10. Jesu - Conqueror (Hyrda Head)

So this wasn't on my first draft I made, but in the last few weeks of the year I just couldn't stop listening to it. It isn't the complete droning of "Jesu" or the overly uptempo songs of "Silver" it lays somewhere in between. I also love how some of the notes just hang in the air for what seems like forever.

09. Ghastly City Sleep - Ghastly City Sleep (Robotic Empire)

This is an album I can't really pinpoint why I like it so much, it just makes me feel good while listening to it, it flows amazingly. Also this might be what Talk Talk would of sounded like if they were a hardcore/screamo (REAL SCREAMO NOT THIS TRENDY SHIT THAT GETS THE TAG THESE DAYS) instead of new wave/romantic band before doing their experimental stuff.

08. Oxbow - The Narcotic Story (Hyrda Head)

This album sucks you in some beautiful moments, then just beats the fuck out of you when you're not expecting it, OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

07. The Austerity Program - Black Madonna (Hyrda Head)

Honestly before even hearing a note from this band, there was this video and I decided I will buy this album when it comes out and it will be one of the best albums of the year, AND IT WAS!

06. Pygmy Lush - Bitter River (Robotic Empire)

I can't lie I love PG99, this is completely different when they dirge they dirge! seeing them live was great, you can just close yours eyes and sway back and forward, or tap your feet or all the above. dirges never made you feel so good before this.

05. Crippled Black Phoenix - A Love of Shared Disasters (Invada)

Again another album of dirges or as they would like to call them "End Time Ballads", there was something about this album from the first listen that seemed familiar like I've been listening to it for years, I like albums that make me feel like that, this will be around for a very long time.

04. Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters (Southern Lord)

This is everything black metal isnt' supposed to be, WARM with layers upon layers of guitars and analog synths, that give it an almost shoegaze feeling, yeah the band probably hates when people say that, but its fucking there. also the female vocals on track three are honestly some of the most beautiful vocals i've ever heard, then some thunder and blast back into the metal. It also made me feel like i could play metal again with it simplicity.

03. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (Merge)

I WILL ADMIT I GOT PULLED INTO THE HYPE OF THIS ALBUM! I will also admit that I was completely disappointed with it, it was nothing compared to "Funeral" but a few months later I realized i needed to look past the hype and the fact that they need to move on and realized they are some of their best songs the band has written yet!

02. Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb (Relapse)

If WITTR made me feel like I could play metal again, this album tore me right down to size again. EVERYTHING about this album out does anything else pig destroyer has ever done, the production is better thicker all around, the drumming has gotten faster and more intricate, the riffs oh man! the songs as whole are alot more memorable than just the pure brutality of the past.

01. Low - Drums & Guns (Sub Pop)

I knew this album would be one of my favorites of the year, LAST YEAR when I saw them open their holiday concert with 4 songs off this album, they just keep tweaking the formula. again these songs like PxD make feel like they are more memorable.

autumn airs rolls in.

2007-09-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

it's starting to get too cold to sit on the back steps and play guitar at night. I'm not complaining about the weather because I love this season just stating a fact.

I feel like I've been working two jobs this last week, I go to work from 6am to 2pm monday through friday doing alot of Prep for our inventory this sunday. It's not my normal work schedule then I come home take care of the dog get alittle rest then go over to the house and work on painting some more, I'm getting pretty exhausted and its only 3 days into it. The living room and bathroom should be complete now so tomorrow im pulling up the tarps and putting all the fixture covers back up and thursday we'll move some of the living room stuff over. Tomorrow matt and i are going to do the bedrooms, then all thats left is the kitchen and the hallway.

Oh on top of all this I leave for California monday morning I'll be coming back Thursday night at midnightish so its really more like friday morning, So I need to pack up everything because we're having movers come on that saturday more then likely!

a day for holes.

2007-09-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

so in a freak accident with a roll of tape i put a hole in my right sneaker and nearly took off my big toe. later on the drive home i noticed a hole in the left knee of one of my favorite pair of AE jeans!!! which means tomorrow after work im going to buy new sneakers and a new pair of jeans woo!

Upcoming Shopping List

2007-09-06T22:10:00.000-07:00

Things for the studio needed:

Behringer ADA8000 Ultragain Pro-8 A/D/A Converter - $249.99
ART TPS II 2-Channel Variable Impedance Tube Preamp - $179.99
ART TPS II 2-Channel Variable Impedance Tube Preamp - $179.99
Behringer HA4700 POWERPLAY PRO Headphone Amp - $109.99
M-Audio StudioPro 3 Desktop Audio Monitors - $99.99
AKG K 55 Headphones - $29.99
AKG K 55 Headphones - $29.99
AKG K 55 Headphones - $29.99
AKG K 55 Headphones - $29.99
AV Link 49' 8-Channel XLR Female-XLR Male Stage Snake - $89.99
AV Link 49' 8-Channel XLR Female-XLR Male Stage Snake - $89.99

so i'm looking at spending $1,119.89 and this not even including extra cables im going to need, a desk, a few more mic stands, more memory for my computer and more mics!!!!!! my year end bonus is hopefully going to be banging.

drone/pro tools sessions/random stuff

2007-08-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

So Ive found that through out the last 8 years that Ive been recording my own music that I go through spurts where I'm feeling really creative and I get alot of work done, and then theres times where I just dont do anything. AND then there's the in between time where I'm just so bored I record just for something to do. When I look in my pro tools sessions I can usually tell what period of creativity I was in by the number of actual tracks each song has. The creative period usually has like 32 tracks, the in between usually has been 2 and 6 tracks. Tonight was one of those nights where I felt like going back and listening to things in my "Random Stuff" folder. I hate listening back to these sometimes because I feel like I start doing stuff sooooo right but I never expand on it or it falls apart, and then the worst part of it is I can't really remember how to play some of 95% of this stuff because its not like the creative period where I sit around programming drums and playing along and working on the same song for a few days getting all the parts right, I just set up mics and go to town playing whatever I feel. yet again another post i had a clear destination until I started writing it and i forgot.

im listening to THE GREAT ANNIHILATOR by Swans right now.

gloom

2007-08-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

so its been raining for about 4 days straight, but ill take this weather over a ninetyeight degree summer day anyday. i love being able to wear my hoodie.

Fucking Ebay

2007-08-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

So I've been waiting a week and a half for these two cds to come from this guy and today i check my email he refunded my money through paypal and he only said "the item was damaged. sorry!" if it was damaged why even list it in the first place?! atleast i got my money back.

im on a quest to get a SF-2 Super Distortion Feedbacker from boss definitely needs to be part of my rig

im also working on getting a list together of bands and what albums/eps i need to finish their discographies. I'm not going to get crazy into all the various singles. Only studio recordings and essential live stuff such as peel sessions. there is no point to getting greatest hits if you buy all the other cds.

work.

2007-08-16T20:27:00.001-07:00

so the job is sending me to california at the end of september im pretty pumped. i want to get my tattoo done really soon! i think im going to have my sister find out when he is opened next.

life goals.

2007-08-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

so i think why i wake up everyday hating life is because i dont have any life goals. so i thought about it before I die i'd love to go to chicago and record an EP that was engineered by Steve Albini. but then when I went to bed and woke up I thought its not such a good idea because i tend to like recording on my own time and having everything at my control sooooooo no life goal again.

it can never be like it was.

2007-08-04T11:34:00.000-07:00

my whole life ive had reaccuring dreams, and its not the same one its a few different ones. The most recent of these happens to involve me packing up my apartment in florida and saying goodbye to my friends a few nights before i move back to pennsylvania. Im completely crippled by sadness. Even to this day i tell everyone how much i want to move back to florida, but in all reality i know its just a part of me that still remembers how great it was living there. Circumstances are different now though the only person there from the old gang is sean, jigga, and a few of the people associated with her. I wouldnt be in school. I have a girlfriend. Id need a steady job to pay for everything, the band wouldnt be back together because mark luke and bob wouldnt be there. i live too much in the past and im always trying to recreate it.

this post was going somewhere but i lost it.

i'm an old dude. and other stuff.

2007-08-03T20:34:00.001-07:00

my alarm clock stopped working so i had to go buy a new one. As i was setting it up tonight i thought to myself, even though its practically the same model as the old one the slight changes are enough to piss me off. And that's where i realized im an old dude first mistake was getting the same exact thing model as the last one shows im set in my ways, then complaining that its not the same way! i wish it broke while i was on vaction two weeks ago so i couldve gotten used it. Wonder how many times im going to be late to work this week.

INSTRUMENTS WANTED!
Cello
Violin
Trumpet
Trombone
Vibraphone (sp)

i have no idea how to play any of these but I want to try, so if you have any lying around or know someone who does, and would like to donate or sell to me for a decent price let me know. i think if i learn how to play them they can add some fun layers to the stuff im writing right now.

Today's trip to vintage vinyl.

2007-08-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

Some things I purchased today

The Sugarcubes - The Complete Studio Albums boxset
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (used)
Morphine - Cure For Pain
Red House Painters - Red House Painters I
Red House Painters - Red House Painters II
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kaleidoscope (Remaster)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Scream (Remaster)
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (used)
Antarctica - 23:03 EP (used)

im really rediscovering music from the late 70s through early 90s that I couldn't have been into at the time because I was either too young or not even born yet. The Beach Boys and Pink Floyd cds are albums I knew I should own, but I really didnt want to pay full price for them, so I've waited all this time until I could find them used.